Newletter for the Rotary Club of Parramatta City 25 July 2011

1. Rotary Club of Parramatta City
COMMUNITY NETWORKER
ROTARY CLUB OF PARRAMATTA CITY
PRESIDENT MESSAGE FOUR WAY TEST
YOUTH
“I’am all right Jack” no I am I am not talking about the 1959 Terry SPEAKING
Thomas movie but about the saying. When I looked into this English COMPETITION
saying I see it means “A comment that indicates a selfish attitude. Not
worried about any problems your friends and neighbours might have.”
It seems that this term is creeping into our Rotary commitment, we
are not worried or concerned about the members who are attending
our weekly meetings or projects and programs.
If we are to function probably we need to meet regularly, discuss
The aim of the FOUR WAY TEST
and raise areas where our Club can help our community, locally or YOUTH SPEAKING COMPETITION
abroad. We are becoming relaxed and the Club is getting jaded is to provide Grade 10 students the
opportunity to improve their speaking
around the edges. presentation skills through
competition and mentoring.
At each and every members induction ceremony we said” While Competitors present a 6-minute
you are now becoming a member of the Rotary Club of Parramatta speech, which seeks to apply the 4
WAY TEST to their chosen material.
City we cannot make you a true Rotarian, that is a distinction you must A panel of 3 adjudicators will assess
and critique all presentations as well
gain by your own efforts” . as provide personal follow-up with
helpful ideas (for future
David Ross is preparing for our Club, a Club Visioning Team from presentations). The implemented
Canberra to facilitate for us to plan and document a direction for our processes begin with each
participating Rotary Club recruiting
Club, if we have in attendance that day, the numbers who are year 10 students interested in
entering this competition.
attending at the moment, it will be a poor reality of the Club. Each Club then runs its own
Our newest member Tony Warner is our guest speaker on Monday, competition, with a finalist chosen
from each participating school. These
Tony, has had some pretty unique experiences working in the public students then compete in the District
Preliminary finals from which 3
schools on the South side of Chicago with gangs, guns and metal students and 1 reserve are chosen.
The successful competitors are then
detectors at every door. invited to the District finals, which may
Lets see you on Monday. be held at either the District
Conference or a special event prior to
this. If the latter occurs, the winning
finalist may be invited to perform their
speech at the District Conference.
Certificates of participation are
awarded to all entrants. Trophies can
be awarded to finalists from each
stage. The overall winner receives a
personal trophy in conjunction with a
perpetual trophy, which is to be
presented and displayed at the
winning student's school.
It has been my experience that the
improvement of each student by
participating in all levels of this
competition has an invaluable impact
on their future endeavours.
For further information contact:
David Barton, D9460
Ph: 08 9364 4429 • Email:
southcon@iinet.net.au

2. Rotary Club of Parramatta City
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
JULY
25 Tony Warner- Connecting with youth, working in the public schools on the South side
of Chicago with gangs, guns and metal detectors at every door.
August
15 Former Exchange Student Signe Leth
29 Prashanth- The Wedding with all its glory and splendored
GUEST SPEAKER
Tony Warner:
Through living in the UK, USA and now Australia Tony Warner has had the opportunity to work with
young people in a range of settings; from the British foster care system to the South side of Chicago
and now individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities Tony has spent time with these unique
populations and learned much along the way. Tony ran an adventure centre which included a flying
fox, climbing wall and other challenge elements, he welcomed many adjudicated youth groups
to utilise the adventure centre and has consistently promoted values such as accountability and
cooperation through games, teambuilding initiatives and the elements of the adventure centre.
Tony moved to Australia in March 2010 and currently works as the Area Manager of Metro Wide
programs for Northcott Disability Services in Parramatta where he continues to empower young
people with complex needs to live to the life they choose and to reach their full potential.
FACEBOOK
We have now available for the club a new facebook page the shortcut is http://alturl.com/wvqj5
Please visit, make comments, open discussions and for your initial visit please hit the “like button”. The
reason is the more members who like the page, we receive additional features. The Facebook page is not a
substitute for our website, but more of an additional way to reach our audience.
COMMUNITY CHEST
Another successful Rotary Community Chest raffle finished with 3 lucky winners.
Result of the draw of the Rotary Community Chest 2011
At the Burwood RSL at 6PM on Wednesday the 20.January 2011
1st Prize – A Toyota Yaris Car – CSA 01 656 – J. Barratt - Cook
2nd Prize - $1,000 worth of jewellery - GLA 09 620 – C. Norman - Maryborough
3rd Prize - Netbook Computer – RBR 09 553 – J. Pambris - Flynn
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Tickets are now available in the current raffle, the Christmas Treasure Trove 2011

3. Rotary Club of Parramatta City
OUR INTERNATIONAL SERVICE
GROUP STUDY EXCHANGE
David Ross as the Chairman of the District GSE has two areas of opportunity for members, one is an
opportunity to lead a GSE Team overseas, we all remember David’s glowing remarks when he lead a
great team of young people overseas to Nova Scotia and New Foundland two years ago.
The second opportunity is look at people that you work with or do business with who would benefit and
enhance their vocational skills by going overseas as a team member. Look at John Surian a GSE team
member as a young man in the 1970’s went abroad before joining Rotary. John will attest GSE was one
of the greatest and beneficial things to occur to him.
For details see or email David Ross davidr@bowdensgroup.com.au
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
Allen D. Albert –RI President 1914-1915
Rotary Club of Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
“It has been said that the real test of Rotary is in the local clubs. The test reaches deeper than that. It
reaches to every single man in every local club.”
—1913 Rotary convention

4. Rotary Club of Parramatta City
MELBOURNE CLUB PARTNERS WITH HOMELESS AGENCY TO
PROVIDE SHELTER FOR CITY’S POOR
By Ryan Hyland
Rotary International News -- 11 July 2011
Top: The Elizabeth Street Common Ground facility in Melbourne has provided more than 65 homeless people
with affordable housing. Bottom: Members of the Rotary Club of Melbourne assemble furniture at the facility
in 2010. Photo courtesy of the Rotary Club of Melbourne
Rotary International on Facebook
More than 65 people in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, have a roof over their heads after moving into
the newly built Elizabeth Street Common Ground, a facility that provides affordable apartments, mental
health services, employment assistance, and medical referrals to the homeless.

5. Rotary Club of Parramatta City
In partnership with HomeGround Services, the city's largest homeless support agency, the Rotary Club
of Melbourne raised US$32,000 to furnish rooms in the facility. More than 40 club members each spent
35 days last year moving and assembling furniture and preparing apartments for the tenants.
"This project brings the community together in so many ways," says Philip Endersbee, 2010-11
president of the Melbourne club. "Businesses, neighbors, and tenants have all become involved.
Everyone in the community feels a bit of ownership."
The Elizabeth Street Common Ground opened in August with 161 apartments on 11 floors, and a 24-
hour concierge. The initiative, based on projects in New York City, provides housing for individuals
who became homeless because of drug addiction, mental illness, physical disability, or job loss.
Endersbee says helping the homeless is now one of his club's top priorities, and will be a backbone of its
community involvement for years to come.
"The cooperative partnership between the Melbourne club and HomeGround Services provides a
wonderful opportunity for hands-on experience for members in contributing to the eradication of long-
term homelessness," he says.
Under its 2009 agreement with HomeGround Services, the Melbourne club has committed to
 Raising $300,000 a year toward maintenance costs and operating expenses, including funds for care
workers, rehabilitation specialists, and medical staff
 Assisting HomeGround in raising funds from individuals and corporations, and seeking funding from
local, state, and federal governments to support the Elizabeth Street project
 Promoting supportive housing among local authorities, businesses, community organizations, and
local Rotary clubs
 Exploring job opportunities for Elizabeth tenants
"This project has been a real positive for Rotary's public image," says Endersbee. "There is no doubt that
Rotary is seen as a beacon among nonprofit organizations in our city."
The Melbourne club's work with the homeless was nominated as a ProjectLINK model project.
ProjectLINK model projects provide examples of best practices and can introduce clubs to a variety of
creative ideas. Learn more .